Die operating mechanism for a casting machine



Feb. 9, 1960 F. 5. R088 DIE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A CASTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 18, 1957 INVENTOR.

FRANK 0. R068 ATTY DIE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A CASTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 18, 1957 Feb. 9, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 HTTX Feb. 9, 1960 F. s. ROSS 2,923,986

DIE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A CASTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

F/PA/VA 5. R058 WATT! Feb. 9, 1960 F. s. ROSS 2,923,986

DIE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A CASTING MACHINE Filed Ndv. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent DIE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A CASTING MACHINE Frank S. Ross, Detroit, Mich. Application November 18, 1957, Serial No. 697,247 2 Claims. (Cl. 22-65) This invention relates to die-casting machines, and particularly to centrifugal die-casting machines which employ a pair of permanent or semi-permanent dies separably conjoining to form a mold.

An object of the invention is to achieve the separation of said dies by providing die lifting means, including latches actuable to alternatively engage or release one of said dies, for removal from the other.

Another object is to provide means on said die for engagement by said latches.

Another object is to provide a carrier for actuably mounting said latches.

Another object is to mount on said carrier means for actuating the latches in unison to engage or release said movable die.

Another object is to provide upper and lower coacting dies and to actuate the upper die to and from the lower die by means of said carrier.

A further object is to provide a plurality of locking posts on one die; to mount a ring on the other die, and to adapt said ring to rotate about its axis to releasably engage said posts, thus affording rapid locking together and release of such dies.

A further object is to provide means to rotate said ring to effect such engagement.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a partial vertical section on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a partial elevational view on the line 88 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a partial vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a partial vertical elevation on the line 1010 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a partial vertical elevation on the line 11-11 of Fig. 6.

The invention hereinafter described is applicable to a variety of casting operations employing split molds, whether of centrifugal, centrifuge, or non-rotary type, and may be adapted to operate at any angle between horizontal and vertical. For simplicity, however, the drawings and description are confined to a machine for centrifugal casting, having an upper die adapted to be raised vertically from, and lowered to interlock and rotate with a lower die subjected to a centrifugal drive.

' In such drawings, the reference character 1 designates a base (Fig. 1) supporting the lower ends of uprights 2, surmounted by a platform 3. Fixed centrally upon 2,923,986 Patented Feb. 9, 1960 said platform is a vertically elongated hydraulic cylinder 4, the piston rod 5 of which is controlled in its reciprocation by a valve (not shown) occupying a housing 6 surmounting the platform 3. Said valve is manually operable to actuate the piston up or down by a lever 7 ex-! tending from said housing. Another valve in said housing is manually operable by a lever 8 to start or stop the rotational drive of a hydraulic motor (not shown).

Upwardly spaced from said base is the top plate 9 of a housing 10. Said hydraulic motor is enclosed within said housing, and rotatively drives a shaft 11 vertically disposed in said housing and projecting upwardly, centrally through the plate 9 to integrally terminate in a circular table 12 (Figs. 1, 4 and 7). A lower die 13 is rigidly and concentrically mounted, as by screws 14 (Fig. 4), upon said table, and is concentrically and removably engageable by an upper die 15 to form a mold cavity 16. As will presently appear, the die 15 is vertically movable to engage or disengage the die 13.

Equally angularly spaced in the periphery of the lower die 13, are vertically elongated grooves 17 which receive locking posts 18, rigidly extending above said dies (Figs. 4 and 7). Such posts have horizontal keys 19, which the grooves are formed to receive, and are secured in posi tion by screws 20. The upper die 15 is formed with a circumferential flange 21, having slots 22 so disposed as to receive said locking posts, whereby the upper die is properlyaligned with the lower die when placed thereon.

Rotatably carried on the upper face of the flange 21'is a lock ring 23,- also formed with slots, 24, to receive the aforesaid locking posts (Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10). Rotation of such ring may be effected by an internal gear segment 25, recessed into the inner circumferential surface of the ring where it is secured by screws 26. Such gear segment engages and may be driven by a pinion 27 journaled on a shaft 28 vertically mounted on the upper die. A hub 29, integral with said pinion, bears a radially projecting stub 30 engageable by a pipe or tube (not shown) serving as a'lever for rotatively actuating the pinion. The gear segment 25, moving responsive to such actuation, rotates said ring to engage a portion of the ring adjacent an end of each slot 24 beneath an abutment 31 formed on the corresponding locking post 12 (Figs. 5 andlO). The bottom surface 32 of such abutment is preferably slanted downwardly toward the post to impart a camming action which firmly secures the dies together during casting operations. Obviously, reverse rotation of the pinion 27 will result in a releasing rotation of the locking ring, disengaging the ring from the abutments 31 to permit upward removal of the die 15 for ejection of a casting (Figs. 6 and 11).

As a casting (as of molten metal) has a tendency to shrink as it cools and solidifies, it consequently adheres to the core half of the mold, or to the half presenting the greater core area. The latter half serves as the upper die 15, whereby raising of the latter will also raise the casting A permitting it to be downwardly ejected upon a swinging table B (both in dash lines, Figs. 7 and 8). Such table is pivotally mounted on one of the uprights 2 for swinging travel about such upright to and from said dash line position beneath the raised die 15.

Ejection of a casting is accomplished by a plurality of headed pins 33, the number and position of which is by screws 39. The ejector-actuating plate is formed with I three equidistant radially projecting lugs 40. When the upper die descends upon the lower die, such lugs come to rest upon the locking posts 18 (Fig. 4), and are prevented from further downward movement. The final stage of descent of the upper die causes withdrawal of the ejector pins from the mold cavity to avoid their interference with casting operations. When the upper die is raised, the lugs 40 are contacted by ejector bars 41 fixed in and downwardly projecting from the platform 3, whereby the ejector pins are forced downwardly into the mold cavity to thrust a casting therefrom. The upper die 15 is concentrically surmounted by a lifting member for such die comprising a central column 42, apertured at 43 to communicate with. the mold cavity 16 and allow filling such cavity. Said column supports an. integrally formed annular Web 44 having radially extending arms 45, and which is further supported by substantially vertical legs 46 downwardly projecting from such arms to rest upon the upper face ofthe die 15. End portions of said arms project beyond the legs to form flange-like extensions 47 by which the lifting member is engaged for raising. Screws 48. pass through the column 42 and the legs 46, as shown, to secure said member in position upon the die 15.

A die-lifting mechanism, which engages. said die-lifting member to raise and lower the upper die, comprises a flat, substantially triangular carrier 49 centrally mounting a bearing 50 secured by screws 51 (Figs. 4 and 7). One or more bushings 52 are fixed upon said carrier to slide vertically on the uprights 2, and restrain rotation of said carrier about the axis. of its rectilinear travel.

A vertically disposed rock shaft 53 is journalled in said carrier, and extends downwardly therefrom to terminally mount a pinion 54. Such shaft and pinion are rotatably actuable by a lever 55 disposed above the carrier 49. A disc 56 rotatably carried by said bearing 50, has a segmental portion 57 of increased thickness (Figs. 3, 4, and 7) formed onits arcuate periphery with gear teeth 58 meshed with said pinion 54. Several links 59, have their inner ends slotted, horizontally as at 60 to engage the disc, and are pivotally connected. thereto as at 61. From such connection each link extends outwardly from the disc to terminate between apair of downwardly projecting lugs 62. fixed to and beneath the carrier. Pivotal between such lugs on a. pintle 63 ex-- tending therebetween, is a. hook 64 upwardly and integrally terminating in a ball 65. Said ball is rotatively fitted in an aperture extending vertically through the outer end portion of each link. To support said end portion, a second pin extends under such portion. between the lugs.

Hence, as, shown in Fig. 3,. when the position ofthe disc about its rotative axis is such that the links occupy apositionsubstantially radial. to said axis the ball portions 65 of the hooks64 are positioned outwardly from said axis to the full extent afforded by the links, and the hooks are positioned to-engage the aforesaid flanges 47'of the die lifting member. Rotation of the pinion-54 moves said disc about its axis, drawing said links into the'position shown in dash lines. In'such position the outer end portions of the links have been drawntoward the pivotal axis of the disc, moving the ball portions 65 accordingly to-pivot the hooks outwardly as shown in Fig. 1 (and in dash lines in Fig. 3) to release said flanges. The bearing 50 engages the lower end of the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder 4, so that actuation of such rod lowers or raises the lifting mechanism as desired.

A cycle of. operation may besaid to begin with the die 15in pl'ace'upon the die 13, andsecured thereon by said.

the locking posts 18. The piston 5 of the hydraulic cylinder 4 is actuated downwardly; the table 12 may be rotated manually to align the flanges 49 with the hooks 64, which are then actuated to engage said flanges as above described. The piston 5 is then reversely actuated to raise the die 15, and the table A is swung beneath such die to receive the casting B, and then swung to an outwardly projecting position so that the upper die can be-lowered into position and secured on the die 13. Once said dies are so secured, the hooks 64 are disengaged from the iianges 47 of the lifting member, and the lifting mechanism is raised to avoid its interference with the succeeding casting operation.

A substantially brief, uniform time cycle in casting operations is a major factor in die temperature control. Such control contributes significantly to mass production of castings having a high degree of uniformity and predictability in physical qualities insofar as these are affectedby variations in die temperature.

The construction described above afiords a rapid raising and lowering of the upper die, and of ejection of a C'tiSif ing therefrom. However, the uniform rapidity derived from such construction would be largely negatived in the absence of provision for quickly locking the dies together in and releasing them from their mold-forming relation. The time required for the latter operation is reduced by the means provided to a near minimum, and is certainly a vast improvement over such previous means as using a plurality of nuts and bolts, applied and removed indvidiually to lock thedies together.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for making castings, a mold including a lower member and an upper member, said upper member being vertically, rectilinear-lymovable' alternatively to and from a mold forming relationwith the: lower member and being formed with a fill opening, a carrier to alternatively advance and. retract the upper member to and from the lower member, means for driving the carrier in such travel, a lifting member rigidly, removably surmounting said upper member and formed to allow access to said fill opening when said membersoccupysaid mold forming relation, said lifting member having a plurality of outwardly projecting flanges,.a plurality of hooks-,pivot means mounting said books. on: the carrier for releasable engagement with said flanges, andameans mounted on the carrier to actuate the hooks in. unison to engage said flanges for retraction from andreturn to said mold forming relationship of said upperimembenor to releasesaid flanges, whereby the carrier may: be retracted from the mold during casting operations.

2. In a, machine for makingcastings; a moldincluding a lower member and an'uppenmember jointly forming a mold cavity, said members being circular, said upper member being vertically, rectilinearly movable to: and

trance into and withdrawal from the mold cavity,.meansfor efl'ectingisuch entrance as the die is retracted,.a. plurality of posts peripherally carried by and vertically projecting above the lower member andpredeterminedlydisposed to engage-in saidfirst mentioned slots. as theupper member is advanced to thel'owermember to afiord aproper mold forming relation,.said posts also engaging in the slots. of said lockring andcoacting with said ring.

upon rotation of thelatter to secure the mold members to gether during casting operations, and said posts further References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Guyot Oct. 27, 1936 6 Quarnstrone Dec. 6, 1949 Toleik May 9, 1950 Wilberschied Oct. 24, 1950 Roger Sept. 28, 1954 Amo June 5, 1956 Glock July 17, 1956 

